Additional import duties on fruits and vegetables

Update

The European Union (EU) has established the conditions (quantities of imports) under which the European Commission may introduce additional import duties on certain fruits and vegetables in 2024 and 2025. This Regulation does not imply any intention to introduce such duties.

Background

Where imports for certain fruit and vegetables are particularly high, the Commission is permitted to apply additional import duties. These duties may be activated where the volumes of imports exceed established trigger volumes. These volumes are set at 125% of average imports of each product over the previous 3 years (Regulation 1308/2013, Art. 182(1)). The trigger volumes for 2024 and 2025 are based on the volume of imports notified by Member States for the years 2020–2022.

Any additional import duty introduced would be equivalent to one-third of the duty normally applied to that product (Regulation 2017/892, Art. 40). Additional import duties do not apply to goods imported under a tariff quota.

Additional duties are not imposed by the European Commission where imports are unlikely to disturb the EU market for a product, or where the impacts of tariffs would be disproportionate (Regulation 1308/2013, Art. 182(2)).

Impacted Products

tomatoes, cucumbers, artichokes, courgettes, oranges, clementines, mandarins, lemons, table grapes, apples, pears, apricots, cherries, peaches, plums

What is changing?

The EU has established trigger volumes for imports of fruits and vegetables that would allow it to introduce additional import tariffs under certain market conditions. The trigger volumes are set for 2024 and 2025 on tomatoes, cucumbers, artichokes, courgettes, oranges, clementines, mandarins, lemons, table grapes, apples, pears, apricots, cherries, peaches, and plums. The volumes and period of application are set out in the Regulation’s Annex.

Timeline

The Regulation applies from 1 January 2024 and expires on 30 June 2025.

Recommended Actions

This Regulation does not directly affect operators. It simply sets the trading context (volume of imports) for 2023 and 2024 in which the Commission may decide to add additional import duties on certain fruits and vegetables.

Resources

Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/892 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 with regard to the fruit and vegetables and processed fruit and vegetables sectors

Sources